Community news

Senior book sale

The North Valley Senior Center will hold their annual Book and Puzzle Sale at the center on Nucleus Avenue in Columbia Falls on Friday, April 24, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, April 25, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, call Roxie at 406-892-4087.

Grad party

Parents of Columbia Falls Class of 2015 students will hold graduation party planning meetings in the high school foyer on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. All parents are encouraged to attend and help with fundraising and planning for a safe and enjoyable night for graduating seniors. For more information, call Kristine Bowman at 270-2097.

Healthy breakfast

Columbia Falls High School was one of 16 Montana schools to share in $59,600 awarded to expand school breakfast programs. Columbia Falls received $1,000. All 16 schools pledged to adopt innovative approaches to school breakfast, such as serving breakfast in the classroom or offering a “grab-and-go” style that appeals to teens on the go. The grants will help make a healthy breakfast accessible to the 7,000 Montana students who attend these schools, more than 60 percent of whom qualify for free or reduced-priced meals.

Co-op election

A total of 6,503 ballots were cast in the Flathead Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees election. Incumbents Emery Smith, Jay Downen and Alan Ruby were re-elected. Downen ran unopposed for District 3. Smith defeated Muffie Thompson 3,552 to 2,669 for District 2. Ruby defeated Sheri Glaspey 3,705 to 2,548 votes for District 5.

Spay & Neuter

The Flathead Spay & Neuter Task Force will hold its third annual Animal Care Expo and Cat Adoption Event at Flathead Spay & Neuter Clinic, 3491 Trumble Creek Road, outside Columbia Falls, on Saturday, April 25, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pet owners will have an opportunity to find a cat for adoption, get vaccine and microchipping all at one location. For more information, contact Mimi at 261-5175.

Museum luncheon

The fifth annual Ladies Luncheon, rapidly becoming one of the premiere social events in the Flathead Valley, will take place at the Museum at Central School in Kalispell on Saturday, April 25, starting at noon. This year’s program is “Clothing the Flathead: A Century of Fashion.” Tickets are $20 for general public, $17 for museum members and $10 for children 12 and under. Last year the luncheon sold out. All proceeds benefit the Museum at Central School. For more information, call 756-8381.

Classic concert

Glacier Symphony will perform “Evocations,” the finale concert of its 32nd season at the Flathead High School auditorium on Saturday, May 2, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 3, at 3 p.m. Works will include Bela Bartok’s “Piano Concerto No. 3” featuring American pianist Claire Huangci and Jean Sibelius’ “Symphony No. 1 in E.” The concert will open with “Theme from Jurassic Park” by composer John Williams. Huangci began her international career at the age of nine and was billed as a prodigy. She played a concert for President Bill Clinton at the age of 10. Tickets must be reserved in advance by calling 407-7000 or online at www.gscmusic.com.

Crown choir

The Crown of the Continent Choir and Headwaters Ensemble will present its final concert and silent auction fundraising event for the 2014-2015 season at the O’Shaughnessy Center in Whitefish on Saturday, April 25, at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m. This year’s musical theme is “Lux Esto: The Sight and Sound of Illumination,” featuring the choir’s 60 members directed by Craig Hodges and accompanied by Dan Kohnstamm, guest musicians and images and music. The concert is free but donations will be accepted. For more information, visit online at www.crownchoir.org.

Forestry Expo

The 26th annual Family Forestry Expo will take place at the Trumbull Creek Educational Forest, midway between Columbia Falls and Whitefish, about two miles north of the U.S. 2 and Highway 40 intersection, on Saturday, May 9, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hosted by F.H. Stoltze Land & Lumber Co., the event will feature educational displays; a free logging camp lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; demonstrations of mule string packing, logging equipment and a portable sawmill at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; and hands-on activities all day of cross-cut saws and paper making. For more information, visit online at www.familyforestryexpo.org.

Arbor Day

The Columbia Falls Arbor Day celebration will be held at River’s Edge Park on May 1 at noon. Fifth-grade classes from Glacier Gateway Elementary School will be there along with the Forest Service, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, members of the Columbia Falls Tree Board and the mayor Don Barnhart. Two trees will be planted using funds from the DNRC Arbor Day Grant award. Students will be taught tree planting techniques and tree facts by the Forest Service ad DNRC and will plant saplings provided by the Forest Service that will be theirs to keep. The public is invited to join the celebration.

Farmers market

The Columbia Falls Farmers Market will take place at Pinewood Park in Columbia Falls on Thursdays from 5 to 7:30 p.m. from May 14 through Sept. 17. The market offers locally grown plants and produce and a wide variety of handcrafted items, including certified Made in Montana items. Music will be provided by local bands, including Dan Dubuque, the Montana Marimba Ensemble and others. For more information, visit online at www.columbiafallschamber.org/farmers-market.

Drum class

A class teaching the rhythms of the African hand drum, or djembe, will be given by master drummer Bob Sherrick at Imagine Health in Columbia Falls on Saturday, May 2, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. No prior djembe drumming skill is required. Participants without a drum can contact Marti Kurth at martik@centurylink.net. Cost is $5-10. For more information, call Leslie Yancey at 748-6778.

New farmers market

The Columbia Falls Community Market will kick off on U.S. 2 next to O’Brien’s Liquor & Wine on May 21. The market will be held on Thursdays through Sept. 24 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. featuring locally grown produce and plants from more than seven farmers, handmade local crafts, artists, food caterers and local microbrewed beers. Local musicians will perform on stage in The Coop behind the store. The market is an official 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and all sponsorships are tax deductible. For more information, visit online at www.cfcommunitymarket.com or call 871-6440.  

Hit Men perform

Glacier Symphony has invited The Hit Men, former stars of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, to perform at this year’s Summer Symphony Pops concerts. Gary Polci and Lee Shapiro count the 1973 hit song “Oh What a Night” among their rock-n-roll gems. The concerts will be held at the Rebecca Farm Equestrian Center north of Kalispell on July 11 and 12, with gates opening at 5:30 p.m. and concerts starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the gate. Premium seating can be reserved in advance by visiting online at www.gscmusic.org or by calling 407-7000.